ht 10
When he sees his dwindling flax-field
All full of flowers by night!'

"And then up spoke a brownie,
With a long beard on his chin:
'I have spun up all the tow,' said he, 15
'And I want some more to spin.

"'I've spun a piece of hempen cloth,
And I want to spin another--
A little sheet for Mary's bed,
And an apron for her mother.'

"And with that I could not help but laugh,
And I laughed out loud and free;
And then on top of the Caldon-Low 5
There was no one left but me.

"And all on top of the Caldon-Low
The mists were cold and gray,
And nothing I saw but the mossy stones
That round about me lay. 10

"But, as I came down from the hill-top,
I heard, afar below,
How busy the jolly miller was,
And how merry the wheel did go.

"And I peeped into the widow's field, 15
And sure enough were seen
The yellow ears of the mildewed corn
All standing stiff and green!

"And down by the weaver's croft I stole,
To see if the flax were high;
But I saw the weaver at his gate,
With the good news in his eye!

"Now this is all I heard, mother, 5
And all that I did see;
So, prithee, make my bed, mother,
For I'm tired as I can be!"

FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS

ENGLAND, 1793-1835

Night-scented Flowers

"Call back your odors, lonely flowers,
From the night-wind call them back; 10
And fold your leaves till the laughing hours
Come forth in the sunbeam's track.

"The lark lies couched in her grassy nest,
And the honey-bee is gone,
And all bright things are away to rest; 15
Why watch ye here alone?"

"Nay, let our shadowy beauty bloom
When the stars give quiet light,
And let us offer our faint perfume
On the silent shrine of night.

"Call it not wasted, the scent we lend 5